The present invention relates generally to the field of wireless network access devices such as the mobile or cellular phone. The invention relates more specifically to use of a touch pad pointing device in the flip key pad cover of a mobile or cell phone to enable fingertip data entry as well as point and click (mouse) control of a cursor on a display portion of the phone.
With the deployment and rapid expansion of wireless Internet (HDML), the demands for wireless Internet devices are also growing at a rapid rate. One of the most popular classes of wireless Internet devices is the mobile phone. They are popular because they are compact and offer multiple functions; such as telephone, PDA and Internet Access. Their biggest drawback is the difficulty in entering alphanumeric data to utilize the PDA and Internet functions. The fundamental design of a phone and the continuing miniaturization of the device make it that much more difficult to enter alphanumeric data.
There are a number of previously issued U.S. Patents which disclose mobile and cell phones having added input functions such as extra function keys, a touch pad that works in contact with alpha-numeric keys and a touch pad that permits adjustment of certain phone parameters such as volume and the like. However, none of the prior art known to the applicant provides a convenient manual data entry mechanism that may also provide mouse-type point and click cursor control.
The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for adding at least one and preferably two new data entry functions to otherwise conventional flip-type cell phones. One such data entry function is handwritten alpha-numeric entry using the fingertip as the entry device. The other such data entry function is use of the fingertip for point and click. A button or switch added on the side of the phone, permits switching between the two data entry functions.
By utilizing software, such as the Palm Graffiti(copyright) system or Microsoft""s Windows CE(copyright), the user can enter alphanumeric data by hand writing in the touch pad area. The invention offers the additional advantage of not requiring a special tool such as a pointer or pen. Due to the relatively large area of the touch pad, the user can enter the data with his or her fingertip.
By depressing a button on the side, the user can use the touch pad as a point and click device. This will allow service providers to offer user friendly web pages that look and feel like surfing the web at home or office.
The invention also offers the ability to operate both the numeric phone keypad and the touch pad simultaneously.
Also, the invention impacts the overall size only minimally. The additional height requirement for the touch pad is only 1 mm.